Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-04

SOM GTHING ABOUT THE HAIL
FAX KIVtR REGION.


DaytOua's Early History "A Sugar
Craving Country Bloody Seminoles
-Rnined Observation-Disclosures Day
"A COtOnsde of Cabbage PAIms--Ele-
CANT Villss on the "PeninsuIa'-Two
Hundred Artesian Wells - Business
Firms - Orange Groves Mosquito
Iulet-The New Light hOuse-Superb
Fishing, Etc.
East Florida, on the Atlantic coast be-
low st. Augustine, has only recently en-
Joyed the advantages of interior cOmmu-
nicatlou by the completion of the st.
Johns and Halifax railway better known
as whites road" to Daytona. Pre-
viously all Intercourse with that region
was by stage or small vessels plying
along the coast, and therefore necessari-
ly both tedious and expensive. Mainly
TO the individual energy and private
means OF President n. G. White, who re-
sides in the village of Ormond, is the
country indebted for this new route to
the st. Johns river. A half dozen such
men would build up any community.
The new road is reached by the steamer
of the jacksonville, Tampa and Key
West railway, which phys between Pa
latka and its western terminus at ROl-
lesion.
The road is ffty-four miles in length
and we'll and substantially constructed.
1t passes through poor pine region for
the first thirty miles, until the Iomoka
river "a considerable stream) is crossed,
after which numerous and extensive num-
mocks, covered with dense growth OF
cabbage palmettOeS, are traVersed. The
soil is deep alluvial deposit upon q bed
OF mari, and exceedingly rich.
For growing cabbages, beets, turnips,
and other vegetables it is unsurpassed IN
the state. Here, too, the orange seems to
mad its genial home and climate, and
fuurishes with great Vigor and eXuber-
ance. The iruit is above the average in
size and apparently free from disease or
discolOratlOn.
Passing OrmOnd, a thriving town OF
several hundred inhabitants, situated
upon Halifax river, about nIghtial, the
traiG halts in the suburbs of
DAYTONA.
BY way of Introduction it may be stated
that previous to the seminole war of 1889,
this entire coast from BulOw, fifteen miles
above, to Mosquito Lagoon, forty miles
south or Daytoua, was laid of into sugar
plantations OF great fertility, which were
owned for the most parttby South Caro-
lima and English settlers. The coast line
was an almost uLbrOken hummock from
St. Augustine to the head OF Indian river.
AS an evidence of the prOductiveness of
these lands, it is credibly asserted that
the yield of sugar per acre on the
OLD DUMMITT PLACE
was 1000 pounds, while the Dunlawton
property turned but 5000 pounds, and
other plantations in the same proportion.
An estlmabe and highly respectable
old lady, Mrs. Sheldon, who still survives
and resides In New Smyrna, declares that
she has seen as many as fifty vessels load
ing with sugar at one time at Mosquito
Inlet.
When the hostile Seminoles went upon
the war path, these rich settlements, isO-
lated as they were and unprotected, were
the first objects OF their vengeance
and cupidity. The gallant Inhabitants
banded together, in defense OF their
homes, and made stand against the saw
ages at the DunlawtOn planJatit I. A
bloody battle ensued, but Overp0wered by
numbers the whites were defeated with
loss of seven lives. They then scat
tered, and a majority of them succeeded
in escaping to st. Augustine. This ca
lamIty resulted in the ruin and abandon
ment OF all the coast settlements, The
slaves OF the planters either deserted to
the Indians or were fOrcibly carried off.
A long period of utter desOlatiOn and soli-
tude ensued, which was still further
protracted by the late civil war. 1t was
not until 1871 that Daytona was settled
by one,
MATTHIAS DAY,
after whom the town was named. He
brought with him colony from Ohio,
but it seems thematerial was i'll chosen.
Wanting in industry and all the elements
Of success, the settlement failed 1gnO-
miniOusly, and only two of the original
immigrants still remain, The others were
scattered to the four winds.
Another hiatus succeeded, and it was
not until 1878 that settlers, one by one, or
in small numbers, began to move in.
Among thesa were William jackson,
John Manley, and the HOustOns--a1l
prominent aud leading citizens at this
time. Gradually. as the true value OF the
lands and the peculiar value OF the To-
cation began to be realized, population
flowed in apace, until in 1875 and 1876
regular boom was Inaugurated in real es-
tate, and ever since the progress of the
town has been upward and onward.
The site is beautifully located on the
banks of Halifax river, which is literally
narrow arm OF the sea stretching along
for many miles, and separated from the
broad Atlantic by strip OF land less than
one mile in width At any point. 1t was
known under the Colonial regime as the
WILLIAMS PLANTATION,
embracing 1900 acres, mostly rich hum
muck, of which 1000 acres were cultiva-
ted in sugar cane. The ruins OF the sugar
works. which were destroyed by the In
dams, are still distinctly to be seen.
Daytona is regularly laid out in broad
streets and avenues, the most prominent
OF which are the boulevard on the bay
and Ridgeyille avenue. Upon the former
have been erected nearly all the stores
and business houses of the place.
Here we have the unique spectacle OF a
high hummock covered with the densest
forest growth boldly cropping out upon
the
PLACID HALIFAX RIVER,
which is but little less than mile wide. A
serpentIne walk or street has been clear
ed along the banks OF the stream near TWO
miles in length, fringed To the waters
edge with magnificent natural colorado
Of palm trees. In the rear tropical wood
with their wealth of live oak. palmet-
tO,cedar, magnolia and lnnumerable vines
and creepers form a charming setting
which, in some instances, covers the va.
cant bay lots, which are held at thous-
ands Of dollars each. A picturesque In
dian mound rises TO view, and all along
are to be seen continuous banks OF oyster
shells covered with ferns aud flowers,
which were made by the aborigines.
Z whom tradition has IL, were wont at a
Z rartain Qpn4On n tho Xoor m